Marion Co TOC

    With the Louisianna Purchase in 1803, the area now known as Marion County, Arkansas, became a part of the United States. In 1810 Marion County was a part of the New Madrid district of Louisiana Territory and in 1812 was a part of Missouri Territory. Arkansas Territory was created in 1819. In 1820 a small portion of Marion County was in Lawrence County, while most of it was within the Cherokee Indian Tract. It wasn't until November 1835 that Arkansas was recognized as a state. During this transitional period, the first white settlers came - some to trade with the Indians, some to find a new way of life. Mostly these people were hunters, trappers, and fishermen; none were farmers.
    The town we know today as Yellville was originally founded about 1820 by the Shawnee Indians, who migrated from Ohio through Missouri, and was known as Shawneetown. The Indians built cabins of split cedar logs, roofing them with boards six feet long with about two courses to the side. Traditionally the Shawnee notched their logs on the top instead of the bottom. These cabins were located near Noe Spring on Shawneetown Branch just north of Crooked Creek.
    Besides Shawneetown, there were at least two other towns built by the Shawnee in this area. "Little Shawnee Town" was located about a mile southwest of Shawneetown on Crooked Creek. "Upper Shawnee Town" was near the mouth of Clear Creek not far from present-day Pyatt.
    Each year about roasting ear time, the Shawnee gathered either at Shawneetown or another settlement down White River near Norfolk to celebrate with their "Green Corn Dance". They cleared the ground in a 150-foot circle to make a dance floor. When preparations were complete, the dance would begin. One Indian beat a drum made from a hollowed-out log covered with dried hide. Dancers filled their leggings with pebbles and mussel shells which rattled to the beat of the drum. The dancers half-danced, half-marched around the circle once, faced about, and danced-marched to where they'd begun. Now they stopped, taking their pipes from their belts, filling them with tobacco, and sitting down. Each lit his pipe, took a puff and passed it around the circle until every dancer had smoked every pipe. Then they would rise and begin the dance again. This was repeated over and over many times.
    By the time Marion County was formed 3 November 1835 white traders were settling the area and most of the Shawnee had moved into Indian Territory. The name of Shawneetown was changed by the white settlers to Yellville, in honor of Captain Archibald Yell.
    Today, Marion County has much Indian heritage to be proud of and many of her citizens have at least a trace of Indian blood.